Best Canada Online Poker Sites
Poker is one of the most popular casino games of all time, with its roots stretching back before the institution of casinos even existed in its modern form. However, today Canadians don't have to travel to a gambling venue in order to take part in this great betting tradition; they can do it from the comfort of their own homes.
This has been the case for some Canadians for quite some time, but access is constantly expanding, as are the game's popularity and the wide array of options. If you're in Canada and looking to get started with online poker, it's hard to know exactly where to start, but through this article, we've provided you with some key information on the top sites and ways to play.
| ♠️ Canada Online Poker Site | ⭐️ Best Features |
|---|---|
| Royal Panda | Great selection of niche games |
| LeoVegas | Fast platform |
| ComeOn Casino | Good series of weekly bonuses |
| Betway | Video poker variants galore |
| Party Casino | Live games available |
| 888casino | Years of experience |
| Casumo | Sleek interface |
LEGAL ONLINE POKER SITES IN CANADA
With almost countless legal online poker sites in Canada, plenty of serious players have relocated to the country to better access these options. It's a great opportunity, but it's also a bit overwhelming.
However, we've zeroed in on some of the best sites to help you start your search. In this article, we'll talk about pros and cons and ways to play with the following casinos:
- Royal Panda
- LeoVegas
- ComeOn Casino
- Betway
- Party Casino
- 888casino
- Casumo
- SpinGenie
We'll also talk about some of the most popular ways to play, as well as some big tournaments you can access through these sites.
It is worth noting that rules and regulations vary based on your province or territory, with Ontario in particular often differing from the rest of the country- always read up on the situation in your area before you get started with any of these platforms.
LEGALIZATION OF CANADIAN ONLINE POKER SITES
The very first Canadian online casinos launched way back in the 1990s, making them a very early mover in this area. Since then, things have changed quite a bit, and the availability of these platforms has become much more widespread.
As of 2022, with Ontario's move to legalize online poker, it is now legal in all 10 Canadian provinces and all three territories as well. The regulation does vary a bit regionally, but the bottom line is that wherever you are in Canada, there's a way for you to play.
CANADA ONLINE POKER GAME SELECTION
One of the great things about poker is that there are so many different ways to play. Texas Hold'em is by far the most popular variant of the game, but Seven Card Stud, Omaha, and even Pai Gow poker are all popular and available on most of these online poker sites.
Let's take a look at each of the most popular poker game types, and find out which one is best for you.
TEXAS HOLD'EM
Texas Hold'em will always be at the heart of the offerings for any of the best online poker sites in Canada and beyond. This game starts with each player being dealt two cards, which are kept private. After everyone has seen their cards, the first wagers and potentially folds are made.
Then, three cards are revealed to everyone. More wagers and folds ensue, before another card is released, followed by another round of betting, and then the cycle repeats once more. Once the five community cards are all visible, a winner is determined.
Each player must use at least one of the two private cards to assemble their hand, so they can either use one of their cards and four of the community cards, or both of theirs and three of the shared cards.
SEVEN CARD STUD
In Seven Card Stud, you're still building the best five-card hand possible, and you still start with two hidden cards, but that's just about where the similarities to Hold'em end. Your hand starts with those two hidden cards, and one that's face-up and visible to the table, but even the visible one belongs only to you.
You will be dealt three more face-up cards and one more hidden one, with rounds of betting between each deal. You have some knowledge about what other players have in their hands, due to the face-up cards, but there are no shared cards, and of course there are still hidden cards that only each player will be able to see for themselves.
FIVE CARD STUD
Five Card Stud is very similar to Seven Card, except as the name suggests, there are only five cards. Interestingly enough, the two cards eliminated are both hidden cards, so in this variant, there is just one face-down card for each player.
This means that the table has a lot of information, so projecting future deals is a big part of winning in this poker variant.
OMAHA
Omaha is close to Hold'em in the sense that you have personal cards and community cards, but in a way, there are more options but still less choice on your end. In this variant, you have four cards that are just yours, and there are still five community cards like in Hold'em.
However, you must use exactly two of your four cards, and three of the five on the table. This is in contrast to Hold'em, which allows you to use either one or both of your cards, and makes the strategy for this game very complex.
FIVE CARD DRAW
This is considered by many to be the simplest type of poker. As usual, you are building the best possible five-card hand, but all five cards are dealt to you at once, and they're only visible to you. after the initial deal, there will be a round of wagering, and then another after players trade in some of their cards for replacements.
PAI GOW
With Pai Gow poker, you're actually building two hands, both of which are compared against the dealer's. You're dealt seven cards, and must build a five-card "high hand" and a two-card "low hand." Your high hand must beat your low hand, and once you've satisfied these requirements, the cards are compared to the dealer's.
If your high and low hands are both better than the dealer's corresponding hands, you win. If the dealer's are both better, you lose. If the two hands are split, there's no exchange of money.
This means that players must balance the requirement of their high hand beating their own low hand with a desire to put forth two competitive hands, making for a fun and engaging poker variant.
BEST ONLINE POKER SITES IN CANADA
While there are plenty of online poker options available for Canadian players, the following seven are are some of the best poker sites for people looking to play poker on-the-go or from the comfort of home.
Each one offers different perks, so different players might have different preferences, so we encourage you to read up on all of them and even try some out as you hone in on a favorite of your own.
ROYAL PANDA ONLINE CASINO
Royal Panda Online Casino is known for offering some of the fastest withdrawals in the industry, but of course that's not all that makes them special- they provide users with an excellent poker experience as well. The variety is excellent, with dozens of different software providers represented, and plenty of different game types.
Banking is easy with Royal Panda's broad array of payment methods supported, and they keep things interesting with some great intermittent promotion offers for recurring users. If you're looking to start playing online poker in Canada, Royal Panda definitely warrants a look.
LEOVEGAS
If you're a newcomer to online casino gaming, you might want to consider our LeoVegas casino review, whose customer support is known as perhaps the best in the industry, so all of your questions and concerns can be taken care of.
This platform is also known for some really solid bonus deals, and a wide variety of games, so it's not just a beginner's casino; this is a great option for anyone interested in playing some online poker and other games.
COMEON CASINO
If you want to primarily be ready to play poker on the go, definitely consider ComeOn Casino, which is viewed as one of the very best mobile platforms available, if not the best. It has dedicated Android and iOS apps, both of which work really well and have visually appealing displays.
With plenty of generous bonuses available and a nice variety of software vendors represented, ComeOn has earned its place amongst the most popular casinos in the industry.
BETWAY ONLINE CASINO
Betway's live casino platform is known for offering one of the best live dealer poker experiences of any operator on the market. This brand runs some really solid promotions, and has a wide variety of options backed by solid technology.
For those who are looking for a live poker experience, one that gives the feeling of a real life casino, definitely consider accessing Betway's array of live dealer poker games.
PARTY CASINO
Party is definitely viewed as a rising star in the online casino field. They're constantly pulling in new users with very competitive bonuses, and keeping them around with some great features and gameplay.
They're renowned for presenting an easy interface, both in desktop form and through some really nice apps for both major mobile operating systems. With a large lobby, there's always plenty of competition on this site, and we recommend checking it out if you're interested in adding to your online casino portfolio.
888CASINO
Considered by many the best overall online casino available in Canada, 888casino is a real contender amongst fans of online poker sites. In addition to some great tournaments hosted on the site, the everyday games are fun and well-designed, and the recurring promotions are some of the best you'll find.
With in-house games you won't find anywhere else, a great VIP program, and silky smooth deposit and withdrawal processing, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better online poker experience than the one offered by 888casino.
CASUMO
With broad options and easy deposit and withdrawal processes, Casumo is recognized to be one of the easiest and best online casinos when it comes to executing banking operations. They also have one of the best loyalty programs in the industry, and an extremely broad array of titles.
For a stress-free banking process and some great poker offerings, give Casumo a shot.
SPINGENIE
SpinGenie launched in Canada in 2020 with an impressive variety of slots, table games, video poker, and live dealer games. Choices include Texas Hold’em Poker, Omaha Poker, Double Double Bonus Poker, and many more! Approximately 500 of the table games, video pokers, and blackjacks are run and developed by Microgaming, NetENT, and WMS.
Read our SpinGenie Casino review for more details.
HOW TO PLAY ONLINE POKER
Of course, there are different variants of poker, and many different sites on which you can play, but the general rules are very similar across the board. You're looking to complete sets of cards, whether you're matching suits to form a flush, or numbers to create straights, pairs, three-of-a-kinds, or the ultra-rare four-of-a-kind.
With some forms of poker, you can discard and draw new cards in the hopes of improving your hand, while others use a blend of hidden and community cards, the latter of which are revealed sequentially throughout the hand.
These rules apply to both online poker and the in-person version, so however you learn to play, you can have fun with either version of poker. You'll also run into rules regarding minimum and maximum bets and buy-ins, which will vary greatly from site to site and even across individual games within each platform.
WHY YOU SHOULD PLAY LEGAL CANADIAN POKER ONLINE
While offshore operators might offer some appealing options, you should always play on these featured legal Canadian online poker sites. You cannot trust offshore sites with your money or identification information, and they may not reliably pay out winnings
Let's take a look at some of the key reasons to play Legal Canada online poker.
SAFETY
As we've discussed, it's hard to know what will happen to your money when you deposit and play with an offshore operator. When you play with one of the legal sites we've discussed in this article, you'll always have your money in a safe location, and you'll definitely be able to efficiently withdraw any winnings.
CONVENIENT, FUN EXPERIENCE
There's no other way to experience the thrill of a high-stakes card game from your own living room. With online poker, you can learn the ins and outs of this timeless game and play against competitors from across the World without ever leaving your home.
WINNING POTENTIAL
Of course, you should always be playing these games primarily for fun, but it is always possible to go on a run and make a whole bunch of money. Profits are never guaranteed, but you can make quite a bit of money if you practice and learn the games well.
BEST CASINOS IN CANADA
Since online casinos have been legal in Canada for quite some time now, there are several popular options, all of which offer online poker. Let's take a look at a few of the top options for Canadian players.
- 888 Casino
- Casumo
- Leo Vegas
- ComeOn
- Royal Panda
- Party Casino
- Betway Online Casino
- Northstar
MAJOR ONLINE POKER TOURNAMENTS IN CANADA
With plenty of great poker sites comes plenty of big poker tournaments, where Canadian bettors have a chance to have a great time playing against a wide field of competitors and potentially win bigger than they normally would outside of a tournament setting.
Let's take a look at some of the biggest, best and most popular poker tournaments across Canada's online poker scene.
SUNDAY MILLION
As the name suggests, this tournament goes on every Sunday, and is hosted by several major sites, including 888poker and and PokerStars Canada. This tournament has been run since 2006, and over that period of almost two decades, has remained a fan favorite. The buy-in is now as low as $109, and given the enormous amount of competitors, there is a guaranteed $1 million payout, so it's not hard to see why players keep coming back for more.
PARTYPOKER MILLIONS NORTH AMERICA
The buy-in for this one is significant, but for true high rollers, it's worth it, as there's a guaranteed $5 million worth of prizes including a hefty million for the top winner. There are side events as part of this program, with opportunities to qualify for a dollar or less, but it's called millions for a reason- the best of the best can acquire legitimately life-changing sums with a great performance.
WORLD CUP OF CARDS
This is a great option for bettors who like to play a wide variety of game types with low and medium-sized buy-ins and wagers. Buying in starts at $110, and only go as high up as $1,100, making even the top end of this popular competition very accessible compared to some of the others on this list.
WSOP ONLINE
Naturally, World Series Of Poker is one of the biggest brands in the online poker game. With millions of dollars of prizes available, their tournaments are very enticing for players who like to compete with big crowds for big sums.
WORLD POKER TOUR CANADA
This is an interesting set of offerings, as the main event is a series of in-person tournaments, but you can qualify and make some cash via online satellite events. That interesting path makes this a unique middle ground between the online and in-person games for those who are curious about crossing over.
RESPONSIBLE GAMING IN CANADA
When playing with any online poker site in Canada, it's always vital to remember to practice responsible gaming. This means never betting more than you can afford to risk, and stepping away from the table, or poker site, when necessary.
Many of the sites and online casinos we've discussed in this article offer their own responsible gaming tools you can access, like limits on deposits, wagering, and time played, as well as time outs from your account.
If these resources are insufficient, Canada's Responsible Gaming Council has compiled a list of provincial helplines; feel free to access these at any time if you need help after you start playing with these online poker sites.
CANADA ONLINE POKER FAQs
Hopefully, this article has provided you plenty of context regarding the online poker options available to Canadian poker players.
However, you might have some more questions about these top poker sites and live poker games, so we've compiled some of the most frequently asked questions about the best Canadian poker sites, and answered them for your convenience.
Can I play online poker in Canada?
Yes, all across Canada, there are real money poker sites available, with which you can win real money and have a great time playing some cards from the comfort of your own home or anywhere with strong internet.
Can I use Canada poker sites on my mobile device?
While these sites definitely do vary in terms of optimization for mobile platforms, just about all of them will have some form of mobile compatibility, so you can play online poker on the go in Canada.
What is the legal age to play online poker in Canada?
Everywhere in Canada, everyone aged 19 years or more can gamble online, but in Quebec, Alberta, and Manitoba, you can get started once you've turned 18.
What are the best sites to play poker online in Canada?
While we've reviewed a number of excellent poker site options for Canadians, we have found that Royal Panda Online Casino, LeoVegas, ComeOn Casino, and 888casino are some of the true standouts in the industry.
What online poker games are available?
Whether you prefer Texas Hold'em, Five or Seven Card Stud, Omaha, Pai Gow, or Five Card Draw, there's a Canadian poker site that offers your favorite game.
What payment methods are available on Canadian poker sites?
The exact offerings will differ from site to site, but credit cards, online banking, and e-wallet services are among the common options that will be available at just about every poker and casino site you'll find.
Is playing poker online safe?
Whether you're playing free online poker or online gambling with real money on a poker site, all of the sites we've reviewed in this article are absolutely safe to entrust with your personal and financial information.
How does Canadian tax law apply to online poker winnings?
So long as playing poker isn't part of a business for you, gambling winnings are not taxable in Canada.